Messy
by Bramblerose4
Summary: Jaime has a problem and Bart helps him solve it. Establishing BluePulse. For Jessica499499. Complete.


For you, J!

**Messy  
**

"So, are you going to tell him?"

"Do you think I should?" Jaime answered with a question.

He heard Beast Boy snort over the line. "Duh! If you like him just say so. What's the worse that could happen?"

_Pretty much anything else but him admitting he likes me too_, Jaime thought but answered, "It could make things messy."

"You remember Robin's birthday party?""

"Yeah, so?"

"So, you remember the dare?

Jaime nodded thinking back. During a game of Truth or Dare Bart had been challenged to kiss everyone of the same gender. Never one to back down he had managed to land a kiss on every male teammate there; everyone but him. It was true that after the dare had been given Jaime had the very sudden urge to use the bathroom and had booked it out of there as fast as he could without Khaji Da's help. He remembered wondering if Bart's avoidance that had meant anything and apparently he wasn't the only one.

"Okay, what's your point?"

"My point is he was on a mission to make out at least once with every guy, but for some reason he singled you out."

"So you think he likes me because he refuses to kiss me?"

"Yeah!"

"I gotta say that's a real messed up way to tell someone you like them."

"Don't be like that, Jaime. You know what I meant. Like it was a dare, so it didn't mean anything to anyone but a silly joke. But if he likes you then he wouldn't want to kiss you when it would mean nothing, you see?"

Somewhere in the mess Gar had made a point. "Maybe."

"You should listen to me I know these things."

"Do you? How?"

Jaime could hear Garfield's prideful grin. "I watch a lot of TV."

Jaime laughed. "That's true." Talking to Gar might have made feel better but he still hadn't resolved anything for him.

"So?" the young Titan asked.

"So, what?"

"Are you going to ask him out?"

A smile broke out over his face at Gar's enthusiasm. It was good to know that there was someone who thought him and Kid Flash should be together, if he only gathered the courage to make a move.

He stared at his reflection as it glinted off the glass door of the oven in the Reyes Residence and wondered, "Why does this have to be so hard?"

"What's hard?" Bart asked popping into the kitchen and then winced. "No wait, that came out wrong. Don't answer that yet. Let me rephrase it first." Bart zoomed over to the fridge and grabbed the unopened box of cheesy crackers. He shoved his hand in as he thought. "What's got you so freaked out?" he asked before promptly stuffing his face.

"What? Nothing. I'm fine. Totally in the mode," Jaime insisted and quickly pressed the end call button and pocketed his phone. He made a mental note to send him a text apologizing for hanging up on him.

Bart stared at him, his mouth full to bursting with the crackers. Jaime's gaze was drawn to the speedster's mouth as a loud crunching sound filled the silence. "Oh, really?" Bart smirked. He seemed amused at his attempt at using his slang words.

Jaime decided to divert Bart's question by asking one of his own. "So, what brings you by?"

Bart replied by waving the box of snacks at him. "Got hungry," was all Jaime was able to get from him before Bart shoveled another handful into his mouth.

Cheese powder covered the lower half of his face giving him an orange beard that clashed horribly with his hair.

"You're making a mess," he commented.

Bart looked down at himself trying to see what Jaime saw. "My bad, Blue."

With a sigh Jaime pulled out a clean dish towel and ran it under the sink until it was slightly damp. "Here," he said, offering it to Bart, but he shook his head and held up both hands.

"Can't, hands full. You do it," the speedster insisted and leaned forward, jutting out his chin.

"Are you serious?"

"As Batman's scowl."

Jaime resisted the urge to roll his eyes and threw the towel at Bart's face but the red head vanished before it reached him. Jaime stared blankly at the spot were Kid Flash once stood then jumped as he heard a telltale crunch behind him. He spun around to find Bart standing behind him, fresh faced and grinning.

"Dude! Don't do that."

"Do what? Clean up after myself?"

Jaime felt his heart rate speed up as Bart flashed him a smile. "Speed up on me like that," he clarified.

"Hello, _speedster,"_ Bart said, lifting his leg showing off his footwear as if that explained everything.

"Yeah, but you're a speedster who knows how to not to speed too," Jaime shot back.

Bart shrugged at his logic. "Sorry, Blue."

"Don't worry about it," Jaime replied. "Do you wanna play some games?" When Bart agreed he dropped the damp rag into the sink and headed towards his bedroom. After a small debate about what to play they decided on Smash Bros. and then groaned loudly when an update prompt appeared on the screen.

"So what's hard?" Bart repeated watching the progress bar crawl up as the game slowly updated.

"What?"

"Earlier you said something was hard. What was it?"

"Nothing," Jaime said curtly, refusing to give the real answer. He wished Bart would move onto a new subject. He could feel Bart's eyes on him but he refused to elaborate. It was one thing talking about his crush with a trusted team mate, but it was something else entirely to discuss the person you have a crush on with your crush.

A small part of him whined pitifully when Bart looked away and huffed in frustration. "Fine," he mumbled just loud enough for Jaime to hear and sank down onto the edge of Jaime's bed.

"Bart-"

"-No, don't bother telling me now if you weren't going to tell me before. It's not your fault I thought you trusted me."

"Bart," Jaime repeated. "It's not it at all. Of course I trust you. You've proven yourself trustworthy time and time again. It's just...it's just a little messy." Jaime ran a hand through his hair as he fought to find the words. "And more than a little embarrassing."

"Oh, well now I gotta know. I promise not to laugh if you tell me." Bart promised. "I don't want any secrets between us. Secrets kept harm all," he finished.

Jaime nodded in understanding. It wasn't the first time Bart had said those words to him. It was a saying from the future. He never really understood what it meant but he couldn't help but think if he kept this secret it was going to do more harm than sharing it would.

He studied Bart hoping to see the sincerity he hoped he would find. Bart did not disappoint him. "What would you say if I told you I have recently realized that I was in like with someone? Someone I did not expect to."

A shadow fell across Bart's face. "I would say I'm sorry. I know that's not easy," he replied stiffly.

"Tell me about it." Jaime laughed nervously.

"Is it someone I know?"

Jaime swallowed thickly. "Y-yes."

"Do they know how you feel?"

"Oh, god no."

"Why not?"

"There's no point, because I know nothing is going to happen if they knew."

"You can't know that for sure."

"Yeah, I do."

"If you say so, Doctor Fate. But you want my advice I say you should tell them how you feel, but add that they don't have to return your feelings if they don't. If anything they should be flattered I know I would."

"You would?" Jaime asked staring unbelievably at his game controller.

"Well, yeah. I mean you're a catch. Why wouldn't I want to be with you?" Bart said it flippantly but there was a blush growing over his cheeks.

"You would?" Jaime repeated still not trusting what he heard.

Bart laughed at his friend. "Yes, you weirdo. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes! That's exactly what's hard to believe!"

"Oh," Bart's mouth froze in a small circle as he took in Jaime's confession. And then his face lit up in a huge smile. "OH!"

"Yeah," Jaime sighed. "So now you know. It's you I like. Now do you see why I didn't want to tell you?"

"Nope!" Bart answered grinning widely. "But I do see that you have excellent taste."

"Of course you would think that."

"Only because it's true."

Jaime laughed finally being able to release the stress worrying about Bart's reaction to his finding out about his attraction to him. He was really worrying about nothing, except-

"So how do you feel about me?" Jaime asked feeling the doubt wrap around his nerves as he waited for Bart's answer.

"Oh, that's obviou. It's the same," he replied.

"Um, could you clarify? I don't know if you mean you feel the same way you've always felt about me or that you feel the same way as I do about you."

"Hm, both."

Jaime's face scrunched up in confusion. "Bart, that's really not helpful."

"Then how about this-" Bart leaned over to plant a kiss on Jaime's cheek. "Does that makes things clearer?"

"I don't know. A kiss on the cheek is pretty weak," Jaime teased while trying to remain calm. This was more than he could have ever hoped for.

"Then allow me to convince you some more." He placed a hand on the side of Jaime's face, forcing him to turn his head to face him before he leaned in for another kiss; this on right on the mouth.

It turned out Garfield had been right about Bart. He hadn't wanted to kiss him until it held the special meaning he wanted it to have. Jaime re-reminded himself to call Garfield later to thank him for playing his part in helping him to clear up his mess.


End file.
